Love and the Game
by Austin Seville
Summary: Austin and Simon, both players on their high school baseball team, have yet to formally meet. However, the last game of the regular season may just change their lives forever.


DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Alvin and the Chipmunks, or Simon specifically. Austin is my OC. Albert Einstein High is a generic high school based off of the munks' canon elementary school, Thomas Edison Elementary. It is not related in any way to a real school.

* * *

 **Part 1: District**

* * *

Another day of high school, and another game of Titans baseball. Another day of lying to myself and everyone around me. I walked sullenly into the team locker room, and over to the locker marked 'S. Seville'. It was in one of the corners, the space beside it left intentionally unused. Scanning my fingerprint on the custom lock I'd made, I opened the steel enclosure and hung my backpack inside.

My teammates trickled in one by one, the locker room slowly filling. I forced myself to focus on the task at hand, keeping my eyes from straying to the half-naked teens all around. Yes, this was the secret eating away at me: I could neither admit nor accept my sexuality. Why on Earth would the famous Simon Seville be _gay_? I sighed and started to change, only for my breath to catch in my throat. I could tell in an instant it was _him_.

My body would not let me resist, my head turning almost involuntarily to see our shortstop arrive at his locker across the way. Austin Keith was a lanky teen who stood a few inches taller than myself. He was human like most students, with dirty blonde locks, developing facial hair and a pale complexion. To a chipmunk such as myself, there should have been no attraction to speak of. Why, then, did it take such effort to turn away?

Austin and I had scarcely ever talked. 90% of the words spoken between us were from me during pre-game pep talks. I knew almost nothing about him outside of baseball, and I wasn't even sure he was gay. For once, I could say only one thing for certain: I had to have him. Sadly, today would not be the day I mustered the courage to speak.

We soon headed out to the diamond, ready to represent Albert Einstein High in the last game of the regular season. A win would make us district champions, and send us to the California state championships. If we pulled it off, we'd not only notch a huge win for our team, but for the baseball program as a whole. A lot of the pressure was on me to make a solid start, and give our offense a chance to build a lead.

Austin was our shortstop; a good fielder with a decent batting line. His average was only .249, but his on-base percentage was solid thanks to a knack for drawing walks. My secret crush certainly did his part in our push for the postseason, getting two hits, driving in a run and scoring once himself. Soon, it was the top of the eighth inning, and we held a comfortable, four-run lead. I was excited for the team, and almost certain that we'd get to the playoffs.

It was then that disaster struck; my heart jumping to my throat. After giving up a double to start the inning, our pitcher gave up a line drive just to the left of second base. Austin dove and caught the ball, but crashed head-on into the base-runner in a violent, midair collision. The runner was fine, but called out due to Austin's glove contacting him during the incident. Austin, however, was shaken up and in a good deal of pain.

The umps called timeout as the coach, medical team and I ran to my now-crumpled crush. By some Godsent miracle, Austin had not sustained any serious injuries. However, the coach decided to bring in someone off the bench anyway. Austin was sent to the locker room early to give him time to gather himself. I noticed that he was quite unnerved, and being team captain, decided to go after him for some emotional support.

I took a moment to use the bathroom when we arrived, leaving him alone for a minute or two. I came out to find him holding back tears, and immediately rushed to his side. Austin tried to shy away, but I pulled him back and spoke a few quiet, comforting words.

"You know, it's okay to cry sometimes." He finally gave in, the two of us embracing as he let out a few quiet sobs. I rubbed Austin's back in an attempt to to soothe him, and slowly his tears dried up. Eventually, we separated, but still loosely held hands. "Better?" I asked. Austin nodded.

"Yeah..." he answered, "Sorry I've been such a crybaby; that hit was kinda traumatizing... Brought back bad memories..." I wasn't at all surprised.

"What kind of memories, if I may ask?" I questioned. Austin took a deep breath.

"The first time I was hit by a pitch, way back in little league," he explained, "Kid was bringing the heat, and nailed me right in the ribs. As skinny as I am, it may as well have hit me full on the bone. It was painful as hell… scarred me for life..." I tightened my grip on his hand.

"I'm sorry it's all come back to you," I apologized, "If it's any consolation, now you can say you've pulled off the world's craziest unassisted double play." Austin's eyes widened; it seemed the full result of his actions had eluded him.

"Whoa... that's got to be the best play I've ever made..." he sputtered. I smiled and gave him a one-armed squeeze.

"See, there's a positive side to this," I remarked. Austin finally managed a smile, and it felt like a weight was lifted.

"I guess so," he admitted, "You want to go watch the end of the game?" I nodded.

"Yeah, we could be district champions!" I answered. We stood, our hands coming apart as we headed for the door. Austin stayed surprisingly close as we walked back to the field, so I took a deep breath and a leap of faith. With one swift motion, I wrapped an arm around his shoulders as we walked. His face turned pink, but he smiled and stayed at my side. We soon arrived at the diamond, standing in a secluded area as we watched the last inning unfold.

Our closer had come in to start the ninth, and we had returned just in time for his first pitch. Being the home team, the game would end unless our opponents at least tied it. This proved difficult given our lead, and soon our closer had us one out away from the championship. Austin and I watched with bated breath as the at-bat worked its way to a full count; three balls and two strikes. I could see the grip our pitcher had on the ball, and expected a slider.

The pitch was beautiful, approaching the plate at high velocity and with nasty motion. The batter swung with all his might, but his aim and timing were off. The sound of the ball's impact was unheard, the roar of celebration drowning it out with ease. Our entire team stormed the mound, surrounding the pitcher in a giant blob of people. Austin and I, however, did not join our teammates. Instead, we found ourselves embracing in an excited hug.

It was then, as we celebrated our playoff berth, that secrets came to light. Austin took my hands as we separated, looking into my eyes with a light blush and a warm smile.

"I want to thank you, for being here for me," he spoke, "Plus… I've had a crush on you since the beginning of the year." For a moment, I was struck speechless. Receiving no response, Austin tried to shy away in embarrassment. Not wanting to lose the love of my life, I acted swiftly on impulse. Our lips crashed together in a virgin kiss; the rest of the world forgotten. We separated after mere seconds, still in a close embrace.

"I've had a crush on you just as long," I admitted, our faces now equally colored. Austin smiled as our gazes locked.

"So… boyfriends?" he asked nervously. I nodded, grinning widely.

"Boyfriends."

* * *

 **Part 2: State**

* * *

Finally, the day had come; the last game of the season. This contest would determine the state champion; the best high school baseball team in California. I was slated to make the start, so naturally I was extremely stressed. Distracted from my studies, I headed to the locker room early and took a cool shower to relax my nerves. The locker room was still empty when I finally stepped out, save for- of all people- Austin.

The game was over an hour away, and yet already he'd stripped down to his snug, white, Tommy Hilfiger briefs. Stopping mid-change, he turned and grinned as I walked out in just a towel. His words were the most predictable I had ever heard, and I didn't care one bit.

"Hello there, sexy," he toyed. Jokingly, I struck a pose reminiscent of a male model.

"Yes, I am, aren't I?" I replied with faux arrogance. There was silence for only a moment before we both burst into laughter. Austin and I shared a bro-hug once we regained our composure. "I love you…" I murmured. My love smiled.

"I love you, too, Si," he replied, "You're going to do great out there today." I was immensely grateful for his support.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I responded, smiling. Now I was _definitely_ relaxed, and ready to take on our hardest opponents to date. I just hoped luck would once again be in our favor.

Hours passed in the blink of an eye. The Titans offense managed only a single run, but I held our opponents scoreless in eight innings of no-hit baseball. The ninth started much the same as before, with their closer shutting down our offense. Then I came in, with the game and the championship on the line. Ashamedly, my arm faltered and allowed our opponents to put runners on second and third without notching a single out.

I was, surprisingly, left in the game for one more at-bat. Our infield was shifted, with the third and second basemen covering the runners, and the other two infielders positioned between bases. Three pitches into the at-bat, the batter smashed a hard line drive right into the gap between Austin and the third baseman. It seemed poised to clear the fielders for a base hit, were it not for a play that is referred to merely as _the miracle_.

Austin stretched out farther than I had ever seen him dive before, and miraculously caught the ball with his bare, right hand. The batter was now out, and the runners- both more than halfway to the next base- had to backtrack in a hurry. Austin was able to easily tag out the one from second before tossing the ball to the third baseman for the force out. For a few moments, the field was covered by an aura of absolute silence. We had just turned what, in baseball lore, was an exceedingly rare event: a triple play.

Although still in disbelief, the fans soon began cheering and our team swarmed together in a massive celebration. Austin and I barely had time to hug before the rest of the team hoisted us atop their shoulders in a mosh pit. We were carried back to the locker room, where we used apple cider to celebrate in lieu of champagne. It was like a raucous party; everyone was celebrating excitedly as they washed away sweat and cider in the showers.

After more than an hour of celebrating, Austin and I were left alone in the locker room. We had finally managed to finish a shower without someone spraying more cider on us, and were in the process of getting dressed. I was completely dressed except for my shoes, but Austin was lacking pants. I took a seat next to him, glancing at his taut, sexy briefs before getting to work on the laces of my sneakers.

"Jeeze… I'm not sure if I'm exhausted from the game or the celebration!" Austin remarked, breathing somewhat heavily. I let out a light chuckle.

"Partying takes energy, too," I noted. Austin nodded before looking at the ground.

"Have you ever been... picked on, because of me?" he asked suddenly, "You know… 'cause I'm human?" My eyes widened in shock.

"They didn't-!" I started. He nodded sullenly.

"Football players," he confirmed, "Your brother was powerless." I frowned, pulling my love close.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. Austin smiled weakly and leaned against me.

"It's fine, Si. As long as I have you, I don't care," he insisted. I smiled, reaching into my bag and pulling out a small, glass vial.

"I do have a solution…" I remarked, holding it up, "Have you ever wanted to be a chipmunk?" Austin's eyes widened.

"It's been a dream of mine since we first met," he admitted, blushing. I extended the vial towards him.

"Well, here's your chance," I replied. Nodding, he took the vial, popped off the cork and downed the serum inside. I grabbed the glass container as it slipped from Austin's grasp, then held him steady as he underwent several changes. Soon, he was a chipmunk like myself, and even worse for wear. Depositing the vial in my bag, I packed up all of his stuff before pulling out a blanket I'd brought for this very reason.

Pulling both of our bags onto my shoulder, I picked Austin up like a small child. My newfound height advantage- he had shrunk when changing species- was quite helpful. Grabbing the blanket, I draped it around my love so that you could scarcely tell he was so scantily clad. I then carried Austin out to the parking lot, setting him down in the passenger seat of my car. Climbing in the other side of the roomy sedan, I stowed the bags in the back seat.

"Buckle up," I instructed warmly. Austin weakly pulled the seat belt over himself and clicked it into place. I smiled as he proceeded to curl up in the blanket; pulling out of the parking lot with a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest. Then, just as I pulled up to the first light, I noticed his gaze resting, unwavering, on me. I reached over and gave him a light pat on the back just as the light turned green. "Let's get you home, okay?"

* * *

 **Part 3: Homecoming**

* * *

The annual day of Homecoming was upon us, along with its namesake dance. The event would, as usual, feature the annual crowning of the homecoming court. Being seniors this fall, Austin and I were, as expected, named among the nominees for Homecoming King. However, this had us both worried, because that would dictate spending a large chunk of the dance with the chosen Queen rather than each other.

Pushing the whole debacle to the back of my mind, I finished preparing for the dance and headed out to my car. I made sure to check the area around my blue Toyota Avalon before pulling slowly and cautiously out of the driveway. Despite some traffic, I made good time and arrived at Austin's house after only a few minutes. When he opened the door, I was struck speechless at the handsome, snazzy outfit he had chosen.

Whereas I had gone with a blue, plaid button-up with black slacks, he had chosen an almost identical outfit save for his top being a solid orange. After exchanging greetings, we made our way out to the car and headed for the dance. Our arrival was met with much fanfare; enough, it seemed, to make the football players jealous. We soon became camouflaged amongst the other dancers on the floor, and were able to enjoy some time to ourselves.

All at once things ground to a halt. The music stopped, dancing ceased, and all attention fell to the stage. The principal walked up to the microphone, and spoke a few words about the history of the homecoming court. Then, a secretary came forward with a box of crowns and tiaras, and the princes and princesses were named. Finally, it was time for the crowning of the King and Queen. The football and baseball teams were even in number of princes, so this would decide a year's worth of bragging rights.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your 2014 Albert Einstein High Homecoming King is…" the principal started, opening an envelope, "...Simon Seville!" The crowd roared as I stepped forward, but inwardly I was anything but excited. I looked out at Austin as I stood on the stage, and was met with a meek smile. It took tremendous effort not to frown. Strangely, the room went dead silent as the principal opened the last envelope.

"...and for the first time in school history, in lieu of a queen, our second Homecoming King is Austin Keith!" she announced. My jaw dropped as the crowd erupted; Austin making his way onstage. A crown was placed atop his head, and then we stood together as our classmates continued to applaud. Then, before we knew what was happening, a chant had broken out in the hopes of us kissing onstage. We were more than happy to oblige.

The rest of the night was amazing; we chatted, danced, kissed and more. All of our friends spoke to us at one time or another, and we were congratulated by almost everyone in the hall. Even my arrogant older brother, Alvin, talked to us; admitting that he and the rest of the football team had been trumped. As the dance drew to a close, we returned our crowns for the night and made our way out to my car. Once we were alone inside, Austin decided to speak up.

"I think it's official, Si…" he started. I looked over at him questioningly.

"What is?" I asked. My love let out a light chuckle.

"As soon as it is feasible… I'm going to marry you," he answered. I smiled, our eyes meeting for a moment before I pulled out of the parking lot.

"As you wish, _your highness_."


End file.
